Conveyer system



0. J- ALVAREZ CONVEYER SYSTEM May 16, 1950 Filed Dec.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. -ac-kun'5- 3m; Aw t 5 mum y 16, 1950 o. J; ALVAREZ 2,508,086 CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Dec. 21, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. m 3014. 19041-4112,: BY I Patented May'16, 1950 U N IZT'ED O F ICE :WQQNAZE R SYSFIEM plication December 21, :1946,, Serial-No.,=717,771

@established simplyin I anyed'esir-ed building so -as V -.to deliver the-mail -to-the varous r-ooms and'parts of the building accordingto variousindications provided on the mailcontainerin-Which -the-mail isj-transported.

'2 Finally; it. is. alsoflan lobject of my present im.

' vention; to. provide removingzmeans -for removing aztransported object iroina conveyor-1 in such a 1 manner that theseremovinguneans are operated 1; by;il1dicati9ns--provided lon thegobjectzitself *With the above :objfis ts inf view, H135 present invention mainly consists in the provision) oi; a i2 e1 ofwremc ingxmeans in i veyor. sy ,etemiarranged and constructedso; aseto Joe, photoir e :ac l ed' byeinflu ncizn meansihavin light nt nsi anvin zefi ctr nd removably t provided,. wheneveradesired on the-obj ect L transported by the conveyon system. let-M re rt u ar y, mn r s t 1 nven i n 0011- sistsyin. a conveyor system :omprising fin-coni- .bination conveyor means fortransportingan obiject along a predetermined ,path, a; plurality of re m,oving -meansetarranged ,spaced from each pthernalongthis conveyor meansso that eachIof these removing means Y is adapted to remove the j.v,l transported object. during its transportation by 1; the conveyor means .from the same, a plurality ,goffiPeiating means, each. associatfld with one of ij the above mentioned .-,removing,..;m ea ns and adapted to loperatentheesame so as. to re movethe transported object from them conveyor ."means i when the..,object,.is "passingjalong l the-nremoving meens,., infl nc ng me ms edan cdto be emo ahly, provided tpr e tliev-t ransported obj ect, .0 1 differ- 1,ent .,suriace.,portions thereof cor esponding, each to one, of the abovev mentioned removing means,

2 re ent;..invention, "cache or thes actuatin .n mean' is arranged and con tructed so as actuated by. thelabovedefihed influencing means j. ,only when themsame. is removably providjfld Jon 5 sthatnsnrface portion; of thepobject which corre- ..,,.gsp,onds to that removing means'whichv is actuated g bygthe.respective.actuating means.

In accordance. with a ,.preferred embodiment of jnmyn present ,invention, the actuating means lo menti'oned gabove areof .the \photoelectric type ,so, as to: be ladaptedeto .hhotoelectricallyactuate he. perating. means when thein ens y of light ,impinging'unon thenhotoelectric.actuati m a s issvaryin iflthus, each. of these. pho oel r a 15..;t,uat ing Vmeans is, cau ingoperation of the cor- M responding, removinggmean'sin case. the intensity is notli htimpine jup nl i s va i gPreferably', I incorporatev into each fofthe gabp-ve 5 defined; Photoelectric actuating means. a QOJDhQtQelQctric. c ll which is arranged and constructed. sons to b'einfiuen by l ht in nsi variations caused bvthe infl ncing me n on y whe "t e, sam s emov b y p ovid d n t ,surface portion, Oflthe transported obj ect which 2secorrespondsu to [that removin means which is photoelectriizally actuated by the respective -;rphotoelec r .iactuatins me s- A seftgforth above, the influencing means have to have. ajiiightgintgensity varying eifect. "This wupanj bejobtained, ,fpr' instance, byconstrubting 'g hel nflucncine meanszso th hey h ve alsubgstantial yr. reat s.nbs nt a 1y smal n il e t r .ir fle' t ne capaci vithanlthe surr undin surfa .lth 9bjeCt.T,-1;O ,.C9l 1S ithisialsop ibl to amuse, influencin .m ans having alight: emi ti cfiec ;.j is, rccns st nsnf aism llwbulb connec ed 1 ith aisour eg'of ele triccur .;..In accordance with a particula ly preferred .,'.,emb0di1nen ;ofe. my preswtimwti n, hetrans- 4n. port dj,;obje t has at least substantiallytfiat surtace which is parallel p. ,to the direction ,of .transportatiomoi'the object. and ,consistsjoi a 7 plurality, ofgst'ripzshapede suriaca pQrjiQnsf whiCh are, also? parallel to; thel udirection of, transporta- 45,1,tion teach; of,.;these, parallel. strip-shaped. surface P ntioinsi qrresncnds to one of the a ove defin removing; means. ,In .rthis l ,sase, aeach of,,.1the photoelectric;cells;.mentioned above is arranged and v ,qi ristlrncted so. as; to be... influenced by light fifi intensity. -var iationsfi caused ,4 by the; influencing a, means on y-When thee-same .isn emos'ablyi provided within thatust jip-shaped surface. portion of the .a hie t which cnrre n n s'tdthat removing; means ,,,which; isgphotoelectricallv. actuated ,by the ere- ,a pcndine .rem v na.m ansi ,.in. 'accondan e-i spective p oelectric. actuatin emeans,

A conveyor system of the above type consists of one conveyor and several removing means arranged along the same. However, it is often desirable to provide a conveyor system which includes one main conveyor, e. g. a vertical conveyor, and a plurality of secondary, e. g. horizontal conveyors, fed by the main conveyor. A conveyor system of this type constructed in accordance with my present invention is adapted to deliver an object to any removing means at any desired point of the secondary conveyors according to indications provided on the transported object itself. For this purpose, I provide a combined conveyor system comprising in combination a great number of cooperating elements, namely a first conveyor for transporting an object along a first predetermined path, a plurality of first removing means arranged spaced from each other along this first conveyor as explained above, a plurality of second conveyors each associated with one of the above mentioned first removing means and adapted to receive the transported object removed by the same and to transport it in a direction normal to the direction of transportation of the first conveyor mentioned above, a plurality of second removing means arranged spaced from each other along each of the above defined second conveyor means as explained above, a plurality of first operating means each associated with one of the first reb moving means and a plurality of second operating means each associated with one of the second removing means and adapted to operate the same as clearly explained above, a plurality of indicating square-shaped surface portions on the transported object each forming part of one of a plurality of first strip-shaped surface portions corresponding each to one of the above defined first operating means and being parallel to the direction of transportation of said object on said first conveyor and forming also part of one of a plurality of second strip-shaped surface portions corresponding each to one of the above defined second operating means and being parallel to the direction of movement of the transported object on said second conveyors, each of these square-shaped surface portions thus corresponding to one particular first removing means and one particular second removing means, a plurality of first actuating means each associated with one of the first operating means and a plurality of second actuating means each associated with one of said second operating means and adapted to operate the same when the intensity of light emitted or reflected by that strip-shaped surface portion of the object which corresponds to the removing means actuated by the respective actuating means is varied, and influencing means having a light intensity varying efiect and adapted to be removably provided on the transported object within any one of the above defined square-shaped surface portions of the same.

Provision of influencing means of the type above defined has a dual effect: First it influences that first actuating means which actuates that first removing means which corresponds to that first strip-shaped surface portion which includes the square-shaped surface portion within which the influencing means is provided; furthermore, the influencing means will also influence that second actuating means which actuates that second removing means which corresponds to that second strip-shaped surface portion which includes the square-shaped surface portion within which the influencing means is provided.

The novel features which I consider as char acteristic for my invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, .in which:

Fig. l is a general perspective view of a conveyor system of the type proposed by me;

Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view of the main conveyor;

Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of a secondary conveyor;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a transported object, e. g. a mail container;

Fig. 5 is a partial perspective view of a modified main conveyor similar to the one shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a partial perspective view of a modified secondary conveyor, similar to the one shown in Fig. 3.

My new conveyor system is preferably adapted for distribution of packages, 9. g. main containers in buildings and will therefore be described and shown as used for this purpose. However, I wish to stress that this description is not intended to limit the present invention to such mail distributing arrangements, but that my invention is adapted for distribution of packages and other objects too.

Similarly, my present invention might be used not only in buildings where vertical and horizontal conveyors are combined, but also in factories where systems of hrizontal conveyors are combined with each other.

In the arrangement shown in the drawings, my conveyor system consists of a main conveyor ill which is arranged vertically, and a plurality of conveyors Ii, I2 and I3 arranged horizontally as shown. The construction of such conveyors is well known to everyone skilled in this art and thus, does not have to be shown or explained in detail.

The main problem in connection with such conveyor systems is to transfer the mail container from the vertical conveyor In to the particular selected horizontal conveyor, and then to remove from this horizontal conveyor the mail container wherever needed.

To obtain this object and solve this problem, I provide along the vertical conveyor I 8 a plurality of removing means I4, l5 and it, each corresponding to one of the horizontal conveyors Ii, 12 and I3, respectively. Thus, the removing means It are adapted to transfer the transported mail container from the main conveyor is to the horizontal conveyor H similarly, the removing means l5 transfer the mail container from conveyor w to conveyor 12, and finally, the removing means 16 transfer the transported mail container from the main conveyor It to the horizontal conveyor l3.

In addition to above removing means 14, I5 and it, I provide along each of the horizontal conveyors H, l2 and l3 additional removing means arranged in the rooms on the various floors of the building 11: Thus, I provide along the conveyor II a plurality of removing means it, along the horizontal conveyor l2 a plurality of removing means i9, and along the horizontal conveyor l3 a plurality of removing means 20.

To properly actuate each of the above de- 1 mark 45 provided in the same.

in actuation of the corresponding solenoid and supporting boards 2d of the vertical conveyor l and moved upwards. It passes the removing ,means on the second floor without being ejected by the same as the chalk mark 45 will not influence the photoelectric cell 28 forming part of the actuating means on the second floor. When the container reaches the third fioor, the photoelectric cell arranged on this fioor will scan the stripshaped surface portion 39 bearing the floor number three and will be infiuenced by the chalk This will result operation of the removing means I which will push the container 22 on the horizontal conveyor I2.

On this horizontal conveyor l2 the container 22 will travel until it reaches room number four, which is provided with removing and actuating means adapted to be operated by intensity variations of the light reflected by the strip-shaped surface portion bearing room number four on the front face 35 of the container 22. As the chalk mark is provided within this stripshaped surface portion, it will actuate the removing means l9 provided in room number four on the third floor and cause removal of the container from the conveyor I2. The container will slide down chute 30 onto the tiltable support 46 which is combined with an electrical lamp 4'! automatically lighted by downward tilting of the support so as to indicate delivery of the mail container 22. V

The modified actuating means shown in Figs. 5 and 6 are very similar to the ones described above; the only difference is that the container 22 is tranported in horizontal instead of in vertical position and the photoelectric cells 28 and 33 are arranged on the side instead of in front of the conveyors.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of conveyor systems, differing from the types described above.

While I have illustrated and described the invention as embodied in conveyor systems for distribution of mail containers, I do not intend to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made l. A conveyor system comprising a combina. tion first conveyor means for transporting an 8 7 object having a straight edge along a predetermined path being parallel to said edge of said object; a plurality of first removing means arranged spaced from each other along said predetermined path of said first conveyor means so that each of said first removing means is adapted to remove said object during its transportation by said first conveyor means from the same; a plurality of second conveyor means each associated with one of said first removing means and adapted to transport said object along a predetermined path being normal to said edge of said object when said object is removed by the corresponding first removing means from said first conveyor means; a plurality of first operating means each associated with one of said first removing means and adapted to operate the same so as to remove said object from said first conveyor means when passing along said first removing means; a plurality of second removing veyor means from the same; a plurality of sec- 0nd operating means each associated with one of said second removing means and adapted to operate so as to remove said object from said second conveyor means when passin along said second removing means; influencing means adapted to be removably provided on said object on difierent surface portions thereof, each of said surface portions corresponding to one of said first removing means and to one of said second removing means; a plurality of first actuating means each combined with one of said first operating means so as to be adapted to actuate the same and thus cause operation of the corresponding first removing means, each of said first actuating means being arranged and constructed so as to be actuated by said influencing means only when the same is removably provided on that surface portion of said object which corresponds to that first removing means which is actuated by the respective first actuating means; and a plurality of second actuating means each combined with one of said second operating means so as to be adapted to actuate the same and thus cause operation of the corresponding second removing means, each of said second actuating means being arranged and constructed so as to be actuated by said influencing means only when the same is removably provided on that surface portion of said object which corresponds to that second removing means which is actuated by the respective second actuating means.

2. A conveyor system comprising in combination first conveyor means for transporting an object having a straight edge along a predetermined path being parallel to said edge of said object; a plurality of first removing means arranged spaced from each other along said predetermined path of said first conveyor means so that each of said first removing means is adapted to remove said object during its transportation by said first conveyor means from the same; a

7 plurality of second conveyor means each associresponding first. removing means from said first conveyor means; a plurality of first operating 9 means each associated-w1t11='one of saia nrsrre mdvi-h' mah and adaptdtb bp e'i'ate the 'San'i'e so as to reniov aidobject from said -first -conveyormeans'wherr passmgalong said first remo'v- 1 ing means j' aplurality of 'scond 'removing" means arranged s aced -rroin'qeacn bthe' "aI'-1'g-"sai'd predetermined iiath of each or same cond con veyor' means sothat'each of said-secono-removing' means is adaptedfto remo've said cbj'e'ct 'during its trahspo'rtatio'n 'by 'said second conveyor- 10 means" froin 'the "same, a piurality of second operati'n'g -me'anseaeh' sSociatedWithone' of said second removing mans and adapted-to o erate so as to 'rem'o'vesaid obj'e 'om said seconu con- 7 veyoi' meanswhen'passin a1ong 'saidsecond r'emoving means; influencing' means' having a light intensityl varyin'g effect 5 anu adafited' "to 106' ie' movably provided' 'o'n's'aid objectoh different sur face-portions thereof, each of said surfaoe 'portions corresponding-to one *of said-first removing meansan'dtoone'of said second'removing means; a plurality of first actuating means each in clu'din'g a photoelectric-sell and corhb'iriedWith one "of said first operating ineans so-as to be adapted to actuate the same when: the "intensity of light-impinging upon 'said -photoe1ectric cell is increased and thus cause n case" of 'suchim" crease of intensity of the-impinging-lightopera tion of the corresponding ifirst' removing 'means; each-"of-sai'd photole'ctrici'celifs' being arranged and constru'cted' so as' to be" -'influenced by light intensity variations 'cause'd by' said influencing means only when thefsame is' rem'ovably provided on" that surface poi'tion of --:sam object which corresponds to that: firstn'emovingfimeans' which is "actuated" 'by rather respective "first" actuating means i'and a plurality' of secondi i 'actuatingg meansi'eachincluding a photoelectric icell and conibined-- with onei rof saidai second'iioperating' means 'so as' to be :adapte'dt 'to '='actuate the same 4 whenthe" intensity of lighteimpinging "uponasaid Ff ph'otoelectriic' cell is increased and "thus'causein case of such increase" ct -intensity of the imping-J ing "light operation 'of th 'Foorrespondin 'i second removingfmeans; each'r rof -said photoelectric I cells being arrangedand constructed rso as to be infiunced by light? intensity? variations" caused" by said infiuencing'means only whenthezsame is Y removably 7 provided" on 'ithat s'urfa'ceiportion' of said" objct which corresp'ondsvto "that second re moving means which is photoelectricaliy actu ated'bythe respective second 'photo'electricactu ating means;-

3. A conveyorsystemc'cmzipris'ing*in combinatio-n-ifirst oonveyor meansefor transporting;- an object having' 'a' straight edge-:i-a'iong "a predete're mined path 'being parallel- 'to said;- edge: of saidi object; a plurality of first rem'ovingimeansfiar ranged-spaced from :each iothen along said path of said first'conveyor meansrso thatie'ach, of s'aid'i' first removing" means -is adaptewto 'reniovvsaid object"duringiitsvtranspoiitationthy said first con veyormeansi from the samer a plurality of second conveyor means-each 'sso'oiated iwith one' of s'aid first removing' means and adaptedito tra'nsport said -objec't along "a? path fbei'n'g nol irial to saidx ease or saidiobject" heh 'said obje'ct is 'rerrio'Ved by ith' coi're'sp'ondi first i'ei iiovi'r'i'g 'u'neahs irom' said first conveyo meansr a 'plfiialityhf first opefi'altifig mam eacn iassociatedzwitnione of said first removing'means and ad'aptd to cipfitte the sai-ii so as to r eznove saia obiect' ircn saidizfirst conveyor mans' Whfi'QEva'SSifiQ- aIOn' the 0213*? spo'ndin'g' -first re mean a m of second renew g'q'ne'a'n "corresponding second r'ern'ovin'g means; infiu'enc 'influeiie'ed by lighti'intensity 'variationsi'cause square shape'd" surface" portion iformingspartcof h:

electric cell;

* ari eiifge s aceshom acidsosh 1115' means having a. light intensity varying Perfect and -adapte'd "to beremovably providedion" said object Within'any'one'of the'plur'ality of square shaped suriace" portions eachof whichf-iforms part 'of 'one of a mummyoi firststrip-shaped surface "portions each corresponding-ate one-F01 said first operating 'means'a-n'd' being'paral'leito said e'd'geof said object"andforms-aIsoIparL f oneoi aplurality "of second 'strip-shapedisur'face portioiis' 'each corresponding to orient said scon'd operating means and being'normai to the=dire= tion of said edge 'of said pbject;eadhfi'of sai square' shaped surface portions thus'correspond ing to'one'of said first 'rein'oving"me'ans and-ione of said second'removing means; a plurality lof first' a'ctuating means ea'ch' including a photoelectric cell and combined with one 'of saidsfirst operating "means so as to beadaptedfto" actualtew the same when the 'intensity of J'IightTimp'inging. upon said photoelectricceil variesandthus cause in case ofsuch'variation'of the'intenSity Of' Tthe impinging light operation of "the "'corrspon'din first removingmeansy each of-saint photoelectric ceiis being arrang'ed andcOnStructedsb as to be by" said influencing means only' wheii thei same is 'reinovably "provided within a square-shaped surface portion forming part"'of*ithat first: strip shaped 'surface portion'iof said object'which 'cor responds to thatfirst'operatin'g "means vvhi'cl'i is actuated bythat first actuating means whichsincludes the' respec'tive photoelectric 'ceilg'" and a lurality ofs'econd actuating means ea'cninchid inga photoelectric belt and combined'vvith one of saidsecond operatingi 'means'so as to be'adapted to 'actuate' the sam'e' wh'en the'intensity o i-igh-t impinging upon "said photoelectriccellvaries and thus cause in ca'seof such variationeof the 'iin" tensity' of "the impinging iight' operatiomof the w corresponding "second removing means; reach of' T said photoelectric cellsb'eing' arranged "andf'oon structed so as to'beinfiuenced"byiight intnsity variations caused by said'influencingrneansfoniy When'the'same is removabiy'proVidedwithinV that"secon'd=strip shafpedsurface portiomof isaid-zv object" which corresponds to thatrsecond f'o'perat' ing ineanswhichi's actuated by thatsec'ond actu ating means which includes the respective photo- 4. A conveyofsystem comprising"inifcorrfloin tior'i first conveyor meansfor transporting? an i obj'ct" a1ong' a first predetermined path; :?a p1u= rality-"of first removing "means" arranged spersed said first conveyor means; a plurality of first operating means each associated with one of said first removing means and adapted to operate the same so as to remove said object from said first conveyor means when passing along the corresponding first removing means; a plurality of second removing means arranged spaced from each other along the path of each of said second conveyor means so that each of said second removing means is adapted to remove said object during its transportation by said second conveyor means from the same; a plurality of second operating means each associated with one of said second removing means and adapted to operate so as to remove said object from said second conveyor means when passing along the corresponding second removing means; a plurality ofindicating square-shaped surface portions on said object each of which forms part of one of a plurality of first strip-shaped surface portions each corresponding to one of said first operating means and being parallel to said first conveyor means and forms also part of one of a plurality of second strip-shaped surface portions each corresponding to one of said second operating means and being parallel to said second conveyor means, each of said square-shaped surface portions thus corresponding to one of said first removing means and one of said second removing means; a plurality of first actuating means each including a photoelectric cell and combined with one of said first operating means so as to be adapted to actuate the same when the intensity of light impinging upon said photoelectric cell varies and thus cause in case of such variation of the intensity of the impinging light operation of the corresponding first removing means, each of said photoelectric cells being arranged and constructed so as to be influenced by light intensity variations within a squareshaped surface portion forming part of that first strip-shaped surface portion of said object which corresponds to that first operating means which is actuated by that first actuating means which includes the respective photoelectric cell; a plurality of second actuating means each including a photoelectric cell and combined with one of said second operating means so as to be adapted to actuate the same when the intensity of light impinging upon said photoelectric cell varies and thus cause in case of such variation of the intensity of the impinging light operation of the corresponding second removing means, each of said photoelectric cells being arranged and constructed so as to be influenced by light intensity variations within a square-shaped surface portion forming part of that second strip-shaped surface portion of said object which corresponds to that second operating means which is actuated by that second actuating means which includes the respective photoelectric cell; and infiuencing means having a light intensity varying effect and adapted to be removably provided on said object within any one of said plurality of square-shaped surface portions.

A conveyor system comprising in combination a vertical conveyor for transporting an object alonga first predetermned path; a plurality associated with one of said first removing means and adapted to transport said object along one of a plurality of second predetermined paths being normal to said first predetermined path when said object is removed by the corresponding first removing means from said vertical conveyor; a plurality of first operating means each 7 associated with one of said first removing means and adapted to operate the same so as to remove said object from said vertical conveyor when passing along the corresponding first removing means; a plurality of second removing means arranged spaced from each other along the path of each of said horizontal conveyors so that each of said second removing means is adapted to remove said object during its transportation by said horizontal conveyors from the same; a plurality of second operating means each associated with one of said second removing means and adapted to operate so as to remove said object from said horizontal conveyors when passing along the coresponding second removing means; a plurality of indicating square-shaped surface portions on said object each of which forms part of one of a plurality of first strip-shaped surface portions each corresponding to one of said first operating means and being parallel to said vertical conveyor and forms also part of one of a plurality of second strip-shaped surface portions each corresponding to one of said second operating means and being parallel to said horizontal conveyor, each of said square-shaped surface portions thus corresponding to one of said first removing means and one of said second removing means; a plurality of first actuating means each including a photoelectric cell and combined with one of said first operating means so as to be adapted to actuate the same when the intensity of light impinging upon said photoelectric cell varies and thus cause in case of such variation of the intensity of the impinging light operation of the corresponding first removing means, each of said photoelectric cells being arranged and constructed so as to be influenced by light intensity variations within a squareshaped surface portion forming part of that first strip-shaped surface portion of said object which corresponds to that first operating means which is actuated by that first actuating means which includes the respective photoelectric cell; a plurality of second actuating means each including a photoelectric cell and combined with one of said second operating means so as to be adapted to actuate the same when the intensity of light impinging upon said photoelectric cell varies and thus cause in case of such variation of the intensity of the impinging light operation of the corresponding second removing means, each of said photoelectric cells being arranged and con structed so as to be influenced by light intensity variations within a square-shaped surface portion forming part of that second strip-shaped surface portion of said object which'corresponds to that second operating means which is actuated by that second actuating means which includes the respective photoelectric cell; and influencing means having a light intensity varying efl'ect and adapted to be removably provided on said object within any one of said plurality of square-shaped surface portions.

6. A conveyor system comprising in combination a vertical conveyor; a plurality of first removing means arranged spaced from each other along said vertical conveyor so that each of said first removing means is adapted to remove an object transported by said vertical conveyor from the same; a plurality of horizontal conveyors each associated with one of said first removing means and adapted to receive an objecttransported by said vertical conveyor when it is removed by the corresponding first removing means from said vertical conveyor; a plurality of photoelectrically influenced and actuated first operating means each associated with one of said first removing means so as to be adapted to operate the same; a plurality of second removing means arranged along each of said horizontal conveyors spaced from each other and each adapted to remove said transported object from the same; a plurality of photoelectrically influenced and actuated second operating means each associated with one of said second removing means so as to be adapted to operate the same; a plurality of indicating square-shaped surface portions on said object each of which forms part of one of a plurality of first strip-shaped surface portions each corresponding to one of said first operating means and being parallel to said vertical conveyor and forms also part of one of a plurality of second strip-shaped surface portions each corresponding to one of said second operating means and being parallel to said horizontal conveyors, each of said square-shaped surface portions thus corresponding to one of said first removing means and one of said second removing means; and influencing means having a light intensity varying effect and adapted to be removably provided on said object within any one of said plurality of square-shaped surface portions so as to be adapted to photoelectrically influence and actuate first the corresponding first operating means and then the corresponding second operating means.

OCTAVIO JOSE ALVAREZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA IEN TS Number Name Date 1,804,153 Cowley May 5, 1931 1,870,583 Olson Aug. 9, 1932 1,937,303 Worrall Nov. 28, 1933 1,992,686 Anderson Feb. 26, 1935 1,992,687 Anderson Feb. 26, 1935 

